Work handling mechanism



Jan. 1, 1946. H. c. PIERLE `WORK HANDLING MECHANI-SM Filed Aug. 31, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l INQENTOR. HENRY C. MERLE. BY

a I I n gil/lill Jan. 1, 1946. H. c. PIERLE 2,392,186

I l WORK HANDLING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 51, 1942 2 sheets-sheet 2 FIGJII INVENTOR.

` HENRY C.. MERLE.

Patented Jan. 1, 1946 mesneassgnments, to'lhK.. LeBlond Machine. I'ooI Company, Cincinnati, 0hoacorporation oi" Delaware annlieatim aumen, 1942', serial Nm 456,733

9 Claims.

This invention pertains to improvements in mechanism and apparatus for loading and unloadingwork in machine tools and is particularly related to Work handling mechanism for placing a-work piece. orr, orwthdrawingit from, a work spindle of a. lathe or like machinetool.

More specifically; it is an object to provide work. handling mechanismt in conjunction with alathewherebyfwork may bei loaded on the work spindle without interfering with the tailstock and Without requiring longitudinal movement ofthe tailstocki while. at thesame time permitting its center to supportthe; end of the work after" it is chuckedz on thev lathe vspindle'.

Another.l object4 of this invention is toprovid'e Work' handling mechanism in alathe having a Work spindle andr a tailstockilery supportingv` the work, in which the tail'stocl'may' be moved' back away from alignment with the work spindle axis, at which time the'- or supporting member for the tailstoclr provides a work supporting rail or; trough. inalignmentI with lthe work spindle upon` which the vvvorli: mayv he placed and moved. axially onl or ofllthe work spindle of the lathe; After thus placingl the work piece in this trough. inthe base of' the t'ailstock on the bed of the machine and" moving itaxially'on to the work spindle, the tailstockA mayI then be moved back into position andv interA this trough, so that it; in turn willbebrought into-alignment with the work spindle. In thisl way its cen-ter may` he properly engaged with andi locked in position for supportingithe-end ofthe Work pieceon the'work spindle, Thisv inventionis especially adapted to Work pieces which must be loaded axially on and removed from a work spindle, as in shell turning lathes wherein the work spindle' must be extended longitudinally a relatively great' distanceinto.

the elongated workpiece. This invention is also well adaptedfor center drive lathes,l particularIy of the crankshaft type; in which itis necessary to load theJ work piece or crankshaft axially inside of' the center" drive gear Work spindle for chucking itv and rotating it to expose. its end poroperating, position supporting the end of' the work piece on; the lathe. spindle the lathe shown partly in section on the line IIL-IIoi' Figure I.

Figure IIIP is a fragmentaryplan view likethat of FigurefI, but showing the tailstock' moved back out of' alignment with the Work' spindle and.` with awork piece positioned in the loading trough of the tailst'ock `nase in alignment with the work spindle, preparatoryy tofbeing loaded on the Work spindle, or which has just been removed therefrom.

Figure IV'is a transverse cross section through thetailstock and bed of the lathe, shown on the line IV`-I'V" of Figures I land II',- illustrating the tail'stock in the working position in alignment with the Work-spindle axis'.

Figure V isa similar transverse view through the tail'stock and lathe bed 0n the line V`-V of Figure- III, showingv the tailstocl'c inthe withdrawn position, away fromialignment with the Work` spindle axis, and. a Work piecel resting in the loading trough of the tailstock base.

. For illustrative purposes, this invention is shown applied toa typical latlzehaving' a bed or frame I upon which is mounted a headstock Figure 112 is: a' fragmentiai-ryA front elevation of 55 2 carrying a rotatable work spindle 3l which, is

suitably driven from the headstock transmission. In this particular: showing, the work spindlehas applied to it an expanding mandrel type chuck 4 having appropriate work engagingjaws -5 which may be actuated bysuitable mechanism (not shown) connected to the actuating rod t of the mandrel chuck. This'mandrel chuck. is, adapted, in this particular instance, to gripping a work piece or shell 'I by means Vof its internal bore 8 and tolocate it lengthwise of the mandrel by means of an abutment surface 9 whichengages in the end IU 0fK the bore 8 of the shell.

It is to beunderstood, however, that this invention is equally well adaptedV to work spindles of more conventional types and also Work spindies of the center drive type in which the work is placed axiallyA into the center drive chuck and projects froml each endv ofthe center drive rinir gear work spindle.

Thenovelworlr handling mechanism applied to the tailstock' ofthe lathe comprisesU a tailstock housing or base I'I` which is rigidly fixed to the bed I of the machine in the conventional manner, as' by means of the bolts I2 which pass down through the clamp I3 and draw the tailstock base or housing I' rigidly on the bed Ways la and Ib of the lathe. This tailstock housing II as best seen in Figure V, has in this particular instance' a semi-circular trough portion I4 which is arranged with itsv center in alignment with the axis of'ro- Vto lock the barrel tation |15 of or the work spindle', so that the sneu or work piece 1 may be initially placed in this semi-circular'trough I4 as seen in Figure III,

Y whereupon it will be aligned with the axis |5lof the work spindle'3 and its mandrel 4. VThus, in this way,vthe shell is automatically positioned in alisnmnt with .theowork spndlelld also guide@ in this "alignment while'it isslidfonto or elrof the work spindle mandrel 4 to 'thereby automatically align the work piece and 'to greatly facilitate the axial loading and unloading of the work piece without careful guiding or the necessity of the operator supporting the weight of the shell as it is beinglthus loaded'onl thej workfspindle.

During this time, the tailstockbarr'el body [Slis movedV back out of the way on the hinge pins l1 formed in the tailstock housing II as best shown Vin Figure V. This body lzcarries theV usual' axially slidable tailstock barrel I8 which maybe actuated by the conventional'handwheel I9 Yso zas to present its center 20 into the endl-of the work piece .lrto force` it up against the stop 9 to supportfthe end of the work piece and givey additional said lathe; a tailstock barrel body portion mounted on said base for movement into and out of said trough to and from aligned position with the spindle axis, said tailstock barrel body, when moved out Yof said trough away from aligned position from said work spindle axis, exposing said .loading and unlqadineiroilgh maar?, bese; a tail- Ystock barrel axially movable in saidbody portion;

Va; center insaid barrel; and means foractuating Ysaid barrel axially longitudinally of said work spindle axis to engage or disengage said center with a work piece on said work spindle of said machine tool; and locking means on said body portion' for rigidly clamping said tailstock barrel in said body portion when engaged with a work piece on said'work spindle.V

2. In a tailstock for lathe; a base; Vmeans for rigidly xing's'aid base on the bed of said lathe;

rigidity to the mandrel 4,V asbest seen lin Figure Y II', when fullyjengaged with an appropriate center hole inthe end .of the shell 1. Suitable locking means operated by a Wrench |8a may-be provided fter the work piece 1 has been presented on the` loading troughl4 of the base I Li-lxed to the lbed, .if of the latheY and has been slid axially (to theV left in Figure III) on to the mandrel 4, the tailst'ockfis then `moved forward into the position shown in Figure V, whereupon its surface'Y will engage` almating surface 422 ofthe tailstock housing 4{ isol that'itsY center axis-|511 will be 'brought minto alignment with the work spindle axis i5` and it :may be lockedy rigidly in this position by means of anappropriate clamping means such as-the. eye-bolt 23, carried on a suitable hinge pin. 24

fixed-in the tailstock housing l l and having a suitable clamping'nut 25 which may be brought down on topof the portion containing the surface 2 l, so asfto rigidly lock-it'against the surface 2i;r kand therefore Yhold ,the tailstock in( precise alignment and krigidly forvsupporting the work when onzthe Awork spindle.

Y Y After-,the work nas' been machined, the Vnut 2s .and eye-bolt 23 areY loosened andremoved from i the-tailstock body I6 and the tailstock body is then moved away lfrom axial alignment Vwith the @work spindle, as shown in Figure-V,-thereby exposing-the worklarrying trough I4 which is in V4aliglim'entwith thework spindle VVI3i The work is then"axially slid olf theY spindle, 'where it is easily liftedaway 'fromthe machine and an uniinishedwork piece-presented to the trough i4 for again axially sliding it onto the Workspindle or mandrel 4.-

It 'isfto be furtherunderstood that-the'A opera- Y 1 tionY of moving the tailstock backiout Vof the way,

Vof moving its4 center into'the wo'rk, and for" locking the center in work engagingl position, may all t be accomplished by suitable power means, operating Vin an appropriate sequential relationship, if desired,.while still utilizing the principles of this invention.v

. Having thus fully set forth and described my inventiomwhat I claim as new andY desire `to secure by'UnitedV States Letters Patent is: 1. In a tailstock Yfor lathe;Y a base; means-'for rigidly fixing said base on the bed of said lathe;

`a Work loading andunloading troughformed in Ysaid base in alignment with the work spindle of in engaged position with theV a work loading and unloading trough formed in said base in alignment with the work spindle of said lathe; a tailstockbarrel body portion mount- A eden-said base for movement into. andout of said trough to and from aligned position with the spindle axis,I said tailstock Y barrel body, 'when moved out of said trough away from aligned'position Vfrom said workv spindle axis, exposing vsaid loading and unloading troughin said base; a.' tailvstock barrel axially movable in said barrel: body portion; a; center in saidb'arrelfandmeans for actuating said barrel axially longitudinally of said work spindle axis toiengage or ydisengage said center with a worl: piece-on saidworkfispindle;

locking means on said barrel body portion for Y rigidly clamping saidtailstock barrel in said body 35 portion when engaged with a work-'piece on. said work spindle; and meansv for looking' saidfi'tailstock body `portion rigidly fto said base when aligned with said spindle axis.V

3. In alathe; ay bed; a headstock mountedon said bed; a rotatable Vwork spindle journaled in said headstock; a work gripping device on said work spindle adapted to axial loading of work pieces;` a tailstock on said bed comprising a base xed to said bed; a tailstock barelbody-'movably mounted` on said base for movement into or ou't YVof a semi-circular work loading trough formed in pieces; a :tailstock-o-n said bed comprising a base` fixed to said bed; a tailstock ba'rrel'body movably mounted on said base for movement into or out of a semi-circular 4workloading ytrough formed-in the topy portion of said' base inl alignment with said workspindle; and means wherebythe movement of said tails'tockbarrel body out of said trough from alignedvposition with said work spindle exposes'sai'd loading trough for insertion or removal of work from said .work spindle; and meanswhereby said tailstock maybe moved into aligned position with said work spindle when presented in said loading trough. Y 5. In a lathe; kaub'edga headstock mounted on said bed; a rotatable work spindle journaled in 'said headstock; a work gripping device ony said work spindle adapted to axial'loading-of'work pieces; a tailstock on said bedacomprising-a'ba'se fixed 'to said bedr-1a' tailstock'` barrel body movably mounted on said base for movement into and out of a semi-circular work loading trough formed in the top portion of said base in alignment with said work spindle; and means whereby the movement of said tailstock barrel body out of said trough from aligned position with said work spindle exposes said loading trough for insertion or removal of work from said work spindle; and means whereby said tailstock may be moved into aligned position with said work spindle when presented in said loading trough; and means for locking said tailstock barrel body to said base when in position in said loading trough in alignment with said work spindle.

6. In a tailstock; a base; a work carrying trough formed in said base in alignment with the spindle axis of a machine tool upon which said tailstock is mounted; a tailstock barrel body; pivotal means for connecting said barrel body with said work carrying through and constructed and arranged to allow for shifting of said barrel body into and out of concentric position with said tailstock trough and into and out of alignment with said work spindle axis; and means for holdin-g said tailstock barrel body rigidly on said base when in said trough in aligned position with said work spindle.

7. In a tailstock for lathe; a base; means for rigidly fixing said base on the bed of said machine tool; a work loading and unloading trough formed in said 'base in alignment with the work spindle of said lathe; a tailstock barrel body portion movable relative to said base into and out of said trough to and from aligned position with the spindle axis; pivotal means for connecting said barrel body with said trough and constructed land arranged to allow for shifting of said barrel body into and out of concentric position with said trough and into and out of alignment with said work spindle axis; said tailstock barrel body, when moved out of said trough away from aligned position with said work spindle axis, exposing said loading and unloading trough in said base for presenting work to said Work spindle. Y l

8. In a tailstock for lathe; a base; means for in said base; pivotal means for connecting said barrel body with said trough and constructed and arranged to allow for shifting of said barrel body into and out of concentric position with said trough and into and out of alignment with said work spindle axis; a tailstock barrel axially m'ovable in said barrel body; a center in said barrel; and means for actuating said barrel axially longitudinally of said work spindle axis to engage or disengage said center with a work piece on said work spindle.

9. In a lathe; a bed; a headstock mounted on said bed; a rotatable work spindle in said headstock; a tailstock comprising a base having an integral loading trough and a movable barrel body, said loading trough being permanently aligned with said work spindle and so constructed and arranged to engage and support a work piece in coaxial alignment withthe axis of said spindle when said barrel body is removed, means for connecting said barrel body with said base for guiding said barrel body radially of said spindle axis into and out of concentric aligned position with said tailstock trough and into and out of alignment with said work spindle whereby. when said barrel body is moved radially out of said trough from alignment with said work spindle, said loading trough will be exposed for axially receiving work from or for holding work to be positioned on said work spindle while maintaining sad work piece coaxially aligned with said work spindle axis.

HENRY C. PIERLE.

Leg.. 

